Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 66

Pro Soccer: Union eliminated from Jagermeister Cup

LANCASTER — Needing two goals and a win to extend their Jagermeister Cup run, Monterey Bay FC got neither Saturday, falling 2-1 to AV ALTA FC, eliminating them from cup contention.

The Union came into the match needing a win to pull even with Las Vegas and Sacramento in Group 1. And they needed to produce at least two goals to jump ahead of Las Vegas.

Instead, they will finish in third in Group 1 behind Sacramento and Las Vegas, who both went 3-1 in Jagermeister Cup group play. After winning their first two matches in the tournament, the Union dropped their last two, both by 2-1 scores.

Monterey Bay FC will turn its attention to making its first-ever postseason appearance in the United Soccer League Championship regular season, hosting Western Conference leader Tulsa FC on Aug. 6 at Cardinale Stadium.

Having fallen 2-1 to Tulsa in its last USL match, the Union sit in seventh place in the Western Conference with 22 points at 6-8-4, but just three points out of jumping into the top three in their conference.

The top eight teams in each conference advance to the playoffs.

Monterey Bay is just 1-4-0 in its last five USL matches and is 2-7-3 in its last 12 on the pitch. Seven of its eight losses this season are to teams that would be in the playoffs if the season ended today.

The franchise is 5-2-1 at home in USL play, but just 1-6-3 on the road. Seven of its final 12 league matches are at Cardinale Stadium.

The Union tied Saturday’s match in the 18th minute at one when Xavi Gnaulati scored on an assist from Anton Sojberg, only to see its USL League One opponent produce a goal in the second half to secure the win.

The Jagermeister Cup is a combination of teams from the USL Championship and USL League One.

 

Devers’ defensive growing pains on display as SF Giants drop series to Mets

SAN FRANCISCO — There were always going to be growing pains for Rafael Devers at first base. Prior to Tuesday, he’d never played the position in the majors or minors. His first two games went smoothly enough, but on Saturday night at Oracle Park, the learning curve was on full display.

Devers committed an error and several miscues in his third career game at first base as the Giants lost 2-1 to the New York Mets, one of which set the stage for New York’s Mark Vientos to hit a go-ahead, two-run double in the sixth. For Devers, nights like tonight are to be expected as he continues to learn the intricacies of a brand-new position.

“I’m glad that he got a bunch of balls today,” said manager Bob Melvin. “The more he gets like that and the more in between plays and plays where he’s got to make a decision — whether it’s covering first or going to get the ball — all those things are going to be good for him at the end of the day.

“I know a couple didn’t look great, but again, it didn’t cost us and I think the more experience he gets over there, the better he’s going to look. I really did like the fact that he got a bunch of different plays tonight.”

Devers’ most crucial mistake of the evening occurred in the top of the sixth when the Mets had runners on first and second with one out. Brett Baty hit a grounder to Devers, who turned to fire to second base to start a double play but fumbled the exchange. Instead of getting the force out at second, Devers could only record the sure out at first.

That misplay immediately bit the Giants. Now with runners on second and third with two outs, Vientos pulled a double into the left-field corner that drove home two runs, gave the Mets a 2-1 lead and knocked Robbie Ray out of the ballgame. Those were the only two runs that Ray allowed over 5 2/3 innings of work.

“We had a chance, but again, those are things that are going to happen during a game,” Devers said through team interpreter Erwin Higueros. “Unfortunately, they got the hit that gave them the runs.”

Added Melvin: “Sometimes, if you haven’t had that before, the runner’s in your way or you can’t get a clean transfer — it’s a different glove on his hand — there’s a lot to learn over there. He’ll figure it out after a while. From my view, I didn’t see what he was looking at there. Look, it’s not easy. It’s going to be a little bit of a learning curve for him.”

Melvin could’ve went to All-Star reliever Randy Rodríguez to face Vientos, but he said Rodríguez was in “a little different role for him today.” The Giants manager added “that’s Robbie’s game right there.”

Devers’ inability to get the runner at second was one of several miscues he had on Friday night.

In the top of the fourth, Devers helped set the table for the Mets to load the bases with no outs. With runners on second and third, New York’s Brett Baty hit a slow roller to the infield’s right side. The ball was closer to Ray than Devers, but Devers initially charged the ball hard before reversing to cover first. Devers wasn’t in proper position once Ray fielded the ball and Baty beat out an infield single to load the bases.

Two batters later, Devers avenged the mistake. After Ray struck out Vientos, Devers made a nifty pick to complete an inning-ending 5-3 double play.

In the top of the fifth, Devers bobbled Brandon Nimmo’s grounder, then kicked the ball around before recovering to grab the ball, step on the base and record the out. Devers laughed at himself as he walked back to the position.

“You have to enjoy the game,” Devers said. “You have to learn here and there, but the most important thing is just enjoy the game.”

Devers’ only official error of the night occurred in the seventh when he muffed a hard-hit grounder from Juan Soto, his first official error of the night.

“My responsibility is to improve at that (part of the) game,” Devers said. “I think that day in and day out, as I practice, I will get better.”

Added Ray: “It’s not an easy thing to do — go from third base to DH to first base. He’s kind of learning in on the fly. He’s giving his max effort out there, for sure.”

Devers’ adventurous night at first could’ve been relegated to an afterthought if the Giants won the game, but the offense finished 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position on Saturday after going 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position on Friday.

San Francisco had an opportunity to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth after Jung Hoo Lee hit a one-out double off the bricks in right-center field. Per Baseball Savant, Lee’s double would’ve been a home run in every other major-league park. With two outs, Mets first baseman Pete Alonso made a leaping catch to rob Patrick Bailey of a game-tying base hit and end the game.

Sunday’s “starter” announced

The Giants announced that left-hander Matt Gage will start Sunday’s bullpen game against the Mets. Gage’s single-game season-high in innings this season is 2 2/3, which he threw for the Detroit Tigers’ Triple-A affiliate.

Carson Seymour, who has made 15 starts with Triple-A Sacramento this season, will be a candidate to serve in the bulk role after Gage.

High School football: Carmel’s Brown signs with Idaho State

SAN MATEO – All summer Simeon Brown has been working out with College of San Mateo, even moving up there two days after graduating from Carmel High.

The Herald’s Male Athlete of the Year will be making another move, albeit suddenly, after accepting a football scholarship Saturday from Idaho State.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Brown, who leaves next week. “Not a lot of people get full rides to a Division I school out of high school. I had to take it.”

Brown certainly has the physique of a Division I receiver with his 6-foot-3, 203-pound frame, with deceptive speed with a football in his hands.

The 18-year-old put up numbers that warranted attention, catching 62 passes for 1,058 yards and 12 touchdowns last fall for the state champion Padres.

“Honestly, it’s a blessing,” Brown said. “We had been talking for a long time. But some things were holding me back. When that got straightened out, Idaho State made an offer.”

Brown, who will likely redshirt, got a chance to visit with former Alvarez lineman Messiah Johnson — who is battling for playing time this fall for the Bengals — on his recruiting trip.

“Messiah just told me to come in and work hard and trust the process,” said Brown, who was a member of The Herald’s All-County football and basketball teams last year.

Brown was projected to be in the receiver rotation this fall for College of San Mateo, which won the California Community College Athletic Association State Championship last year.

“San Mateo has been very supportive of this,” Brown said. “The coaches wanted what was best for me. I had been working out with them all summer, preparing for the season. This just kind of happened.”

In 31 games for Carmel, Brown caught 138 passes for 2,228 yards and 27 touchdowns. He was also a demon on defense last fall with six interceptions, while returning three kickoffs for six.

“There were multiple schools that were recruiting him,” Carmel coach Golden Anderson said. “Where he fell with some of them is they didn’t have scholarship positions. A lot of schools left the door open. Coach (Cody) Hawkins (Idaho State) has had some success in recruiting in this area in the past. They had a position available. He reached out.”

Brown had the play of the year in the Northern California title game last fall, when he came up from his safety position and stopped the runner a half-yard short of the end zone on a two-point conversion attempt with no time left in a 42-41 win over Acalanes.

The Padres went on to win the State Division V championship, becoming the first program in county history to go 15-0.

Brown is the third player from that title team to commit to a Division I program, joining Jackson Lloyd, who is at Alabama, and Ashton Rees, who is at the University of San Diego. In addition, current Carmel players Carl Weigel and Robert Beverely are weighing offers.

“It’s sinking in,” Brown said. “This was the goal. I wanted to play at the Division I level. I had to be patient. I was thinking maybe next year. But Idaho State wanted me now. This is really going to help my parents. College isn’t free.”

Brown, who was the Pacific Coast Athletic League’s Gabilan Division Player of the Year in basketball, will get a crash course on the playbook when he arrives next week.

Humble, with a tenacious attitude on the field, Brown believes the biggest adjustment will be the speed of the game and the mental aspect of adapting to a higher level of football.

“I’m excited to see how they function,” Brown said. “I really liked the environment on my visit. They had great chemistry. Their system is a wide receiver’s dream. I can fit in this system.”

Last year former Salinas High receiver Jeff Weimer earned all-conference honors at Idaho State after catching 75 passes for 1,016 yards and seven touchdowns.

“This is a larger transition than for others to make because it’s a sudden move to Idaho,” Anderson said. “I think it’s a great decision. I think Simeon will blossom once he gets there.”

High School track and field: North Salinas’ Adams to transfer to Watsonville

SALINAS – Clara Adams, the North Salinas High runner who won the state championship 400-meter race only to have her title taken away from her for excessive celebration, will be transferring to Watsonville High this school year.

“I will miss my friends,” Adams said. “I’m not excited about moving. But I know it’s for the best. I really didn’t feel like North Salinas supported my dad.”

Adams’ father,  David, had been the North Salinas sprint coach for the past five years, while having coached his daughter for the last decade.

“I have been saying out loud that I want to coach football and track at the same school,” said David Adams. “I started singing that song at Watsonville, and they started dancing.”

Hired as a junior varsity head coach/defensive coordinator at Watsonville for football in April, Adams will also become the school’s sprint coach next spring.

“I didn’t plan to coach track at Watsonville until 2027 when Clara graduated,” Adams said. “What changed is I woke up one morning and saw North Salinas was looking for a head track coach – one that was promised to me in 2025. I still have the letter. My chest fell to my feet. I knew it was time for me to go.”

Leaving North Salinas hasn’t come without mixed emotions for both. The elder Adams went to North Salinas and was a standout in football and track.

“You have to understand North Salinas was my school before it was Clara’s,” David Adams said. “I thought long and hard, even shed some tears. But there’s no turning back.”

Adams insists he would not have pulled his daughter if she wasn’t willing. And at first, Clara Adams wanted to stay.

“I know my dad has wanted to coach football,” Adams said. “It didn’t work out at North Salinas. I am glad a school supported him. I’m happy for him.”

Clara Adams tore up the track, winning the California Interscholastic Federation State 400-meter title. Shortly after winning, she was given a fire extinguisher by her father that she used to spray her shoes with, an act meant to represent that she had run so fast her shoes had caught fire.  Officials deemed spraying her shoes with a fire extinguisher as excessive celebrating and disqualified her from the meet.

The 16-year-old incoming junior would have been one of the favorites in the 200 at the state finals, but wasn’t allowed to compete.

Adams, who is competing next weekend in the National Junior Olympics in the 18-under division in the 200 and 400, has run 23.42 seconds in the 200 and 53.23 in the 400.

“Clara’s departure is a significant loss for our school community,” North Salinas Principal Mary White said. “She has inspired her teammates and brought pride to North Salinas through her achievements. She’s a remarkable young woman whose character, leadership and kindness left a lasting mark on campus.”

In two years at North Salinas, Adams became the school’s first female Central Coast Section track and field champion in the 200 as a freshman in 2024, then won a CCS 400 title last spring.

She is the first female at North Salinas to podium at the state championships, having finished fourth as a freshman in the 400 in 2024, and is still viewed by many as the reigning state 400 champion.

“It makes me happy that I can still compete in high school,” said Clara Adams, who had considered running unattached in college meets next spring. “I still have the same goals, just a different school. I’ll have to get used to yellow and black (Watsonville’s school colors).”

Adams, who also plays volleyball, will try out for the Watsonville team when she returns from the National Junior Olympics on Aug. 4.

“She will truly be missed,” White said. “We are deeply saddened to see her go. We respect her decision and remain incredibly proud of all she has accomplished. We wish Clara continued success and happiness in her next chapter.”

Adams leaves North Salinas as the school record holder in the 200, 400 and 800, just missing the 100-meter mark.

“It was hard for me to pull her out,” David Adams said. “I had to make an executive decision for my future. I told her I wouldn’t force her to leave. What changed her mind was when she found out the athletic director put out an ad for a new head track coach.”

David Adams applauded Watsonville Principal Joe Gregorio for ignoring the noise and giving him a chance to coach both football and track at the same school.

“I would not put my daughter in a bad situation,” Adams said. ”I did my homework. The principal has been supportive and transparent. My first priority was her education.”

While he was hired as a football coach at Watsonville on April 1, David Adams was not guaranteed a position as a track coach until this past weekend.

“I want to coach sprinters,” Adams said. “Clara just happens to be a sprinter. I wasn’t happy at North Salinas. So I rolled the dice. Every successful person has taken a risk. I was willing to bet on myself.”

Through the turmoil of having her state title stripped and weighing a decision to change schools, Clara Adams has kept her focus on the track.

She broke the county 200-meter record three weeks ago at the Junior Olympic Qualifier in Reno, and approached her career mark in the 400 at the Nike Meet in Eugene, Oregon in late June.

“I’m letting everything play out,” said Adams, who has a name-image-license deal through the Politely Raw podcast and has dozens of colleges reaching out to her. “I’ve been focused on the Junior Olympics. I’m looking at this as a new chapter. It’s time to move on.”

Her father was quick to point out that when Adams enrolled at North Salinas as a freshman, she did not know anyone.

“She’s a down-to-earth likeable kid that’s just faster than most,” David Adams said. “I’m not trying to rush her age. She’s my only child. Your goal is for your kids to be better than you. She’s already surpassed that. She adapts well in her environment.”

The fact that both are making changes in their lives together is helping with the transition. Both wished it could have worked out at North Salinas.

“You know when you’re wanted and when you’re not,” David Adams said. “I believe they only kept me because Clara is fast.”

“It’s truly unfortunate,” White said. “Clara is an all-around superstar. We love and respect her and I have a big place in my heart for her dad.”

Almost overshadowed by the move is that the Adams’ have not stopped in their fight to get her State 400-meter title reinstated, with a lawsuit looming against the CIF.

“We are not letting it go,” David Adams said. “We’re letting Clara finish her season. Her season will end Aug. 2. By Aug. 4, we will pursue our case for her to be reinstated as a state champion. Everyone saw that she won the race. We will proceed.”

SF Giants reflect on Ichiro’s career ahead of Hall of Fame induction

SAN FRANCISCO — There’s one memory that instantly comes to mind when Bob Melvin reflects on the two years he managed Ichiro Suzuki.

It was May 2003, and the Seattle Mariners were in Chicago playing the White Sox. The Mariners’ front office told Melvin that Suzuki, who was hovering around 160 pounds, needed off days. So, following the first game of the three-game set, Melvin told Suzuki that he’d have the second game off.

“He just looked at me,” Melvin said. “I said, ‘Look, come in late, get a massage, do whatever you have to do. I’m not going to need you until the seventh or eighth inning.’ “

The next day arrived. When Melvin walked into the visitor’s dugout roughly 20 minutes before the game, there sat Suzuki in full uniform with his bat and his glove. In Melvin’s recollection, Suzuki’s knee was “going about 100 miles an hour.” Melvin asked Suzuki what he was doing; Suzuki replied that he was ready to go. As they chatted, a kid walked by in the stands wearing Suzuki’s jersey.

“Ichiro just kind of nodded, and I got it,” Melvin said. “Not only is he a great baseball player that commits to playing every day and wants to be there for his team every day. He understood that he was an entertainer, and people came to watch him play. He took that very seriously.”

Suzuki, who finished with 4,367 hits between Japan and the United States, will be one of five players inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame Sunday, the other four being Vallejo native CC Sabathia, Billy Wagner and Dick Allen.

Melvin had a front-row seat to Suzuki at his peak, serving as the Mariners’ manager in ’03 and ’04 during his first gig as a major-league skipper.

“He was the lowest maintenance player I’ve ever had in my life,” Melvin said. “All you had to do was tell him what time the game was, and he was as prepared as any player that I’ve ever had. He was committed to baseball like no player that I’ve ever had.”

Among those watching Suzuki during his prime were Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee and reliever Ryan Walker, the former wearing No. 51 to honor Suzuki.

“His discipline, even as a kid, stuck out,” said Walker, who grew up 50 miles north of Seattle. “When you’re so young, you don’t really notice that, but with him, there was something different. The work he put in every day, you could just see it. As a kid, that was pretty motivating. No one else is on the field, but there’s Ichiro on the warning track running poles. He really took the game seriously.”

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Added Lee through team interpreter Justin Han: “He’s the first ever Asian player to be elected. Big fan. … If you talk about career, everybody knows what Ichiro has done. His attitude and his love to the game aren’t things that everybody can do.”

Walker’s father, Mark, was among those in attendance at Safeco Field on October 1, 2004 when Suzuki broke George Sisler’s record for the most hits in a single season. Also in attendance was Melvin, who was in his second and final year managing the Mariners.

Suzuki began that legendary ’04 season with a slow April, ending the season’s first month with a .255 batting average and .613 OPS. From there, Suzuki proceeded to hit .392 with a .912 OPS en route to breaking Sisler’s record.

“It felt like he got two or three hits every game,” Melvin said. “He was on a mission. Once he got close, you knew he was going to break it. His preparation and what he does never alters. He works every day. He continues to work right now as a baseball player. He takes batting practice. He throws with the guys every day. He just loves baseball probably more than any player that I’ve ever had.”

Melvin and third baseman Matt Chapman also had the opportunity to witness the final game of Suzuki’s illustrious career when the Oakland A’s played two games against the Mariners at the Tokyo Dome in March 2019.

“The place felt like it was going to collapse,” Chapman said. “It was so loud. It was awesome. It was really cool to be a part of that. Obviously, it’s well-deserved for him to be a Hall of Famer.”

“He told me before that that was going to happen, how it was going to all go down,” Melvin said. “We had dinner two nights before in Tokyo. I was just honored to be there. I don’t know that there’s an induction that I’m going to be watching closer than this one.”

Bouyea conducts camp for youth at MPC

MONTEREY — A gym filled with young basketball junkies sharing a common dream greeted Jamaree Bouyea with wide-eyed stares and high-fives Saturday for a day of teaching from a county icon — and some of his old rivals, coaches and life-long friends.

In conjunction with Seaside’s Finest, where Bouyea honed his talents as a youth, the Milwaukee Bucks point guard distributed his knowledge Saturday at the second Jamaree Bouyea Basketball Camp at Monterey Peninsula College.

Bouyea, who led Palma High to a spot in the state basketball title game in 2016, came home to teach kids the fundamentals on the hardwood, will providing inspiration as he circled the court and talked with as many kids (grades 3rd-8th) as he could.

The 6-foot-2 sharpshooter closed last season with the Bucks, where he earned his first NBA start in the team’s final regular season game, finishing with 15 points on 50 percent shooting, adding seven assists and two blocks in 47 minutes.

Undrafted after leading the University of San Francisco to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 25 years, Bouyea has had stints in the NBA with the Miami Heat, the Washington Wizards, the Portland Trail Blazers and the San Antonio Spurs.

Earning a spot on the all-rookie team in the G-League in 2023 in Sioux Falls, the 26-year-old Marina native was pried away from the Spurs organization last year after Milwaukee offered him a two-way contract.

One of two players from Monterey County to ever play in the NBA, Bouyea is averaging 2.8 points and 1.2 assists in 19 career NBA games. He is beginning his fourth season in the NBA.

Families, schools brace as charter oversight bill advances amid ongoing talks

Savannah Balisalisa doesn’t want to leave her school. The rising fifth-grader from Huntington Beach lights up when she talks about her classes.

“I feel really sad that we might have to move or something, and I don’t want to move,” she said. “I can learn a lot of new things at my school.”

Her mother, Natalie, said she enrolled Savannah in Cabrillo Point Academy during the pandemic after researching every option. She said she wanted something more flexible for her daughter’s early education, and Cabrillo, a charter school, offered that.

It’s what’s known as a nonclassroom-based charter school, where students learn from home or through customized programs that are state-funded instead of sitting in a traditional classroom. Today, Savannah learns through a blend of at-home instruction, enrichment courses taught by outside experts and part-time, in-person classes. Natalie Balisalisa said she works closely with a credentialed teacher to tailor Savannah’s learning.

Cabrillo, authorized by the Dehesa Elementary School District in San Diego, serves about 5,000 students, mostly in Orange County, according to Gina Garland, the school’s director of secondary education. It’s also one of several schools watching closely as California lawmakers weigh legislation that could reshape how charters operate.

A bill with high stakes

Assembly Bill 84, authored by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, D-Torrance, would increase oversight of charter schools, especially nonclassroom-based programs such as Cabrillo. Negotiations are ongoing between Muratsuchi — who’s running for state superintendent of public instruction in 2026 — and Sen. Angelique Ashby, D-Sacramento, whose SB 414 offers a narrower alternative. Charter school advocates are backing Ashby’s version, saying it increases transparency without unnecessary red tape. Both lawmakers said they’re working toward a compromise during the Legislature’s summer recess, and that’s likely to result in one consolidated bill.

AB 84 proposes broad changes to how charter schools operate and are overseen in the state. It would place stricter audit requirements on charter schools, particularly nonclassroom-based schools, and calls for creating a new Office of the Education Inspector General, which, according to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, could cost the state anywhere from a few million to tens of millions of dollars each year.

Supporters of AB 84, including educational agencies and school unions, say the bill is necessary to crack down on fraud. Muratsuchi points to high-profile scandals in recent years involving hundreds of millions in state funding being misused or diverted.

“Assembly Bill 84 seeks to strengthen charter school oversight and accountability, to crack down on the documented cases of charter school fraud,” Muratsuchi said. “AB 84 is not an anti-charter school bill.”

But charter school supporters argue the bill overreaches. They warn it could end programs that help students who don’t thrive in traditional classrooms. One of their biggest concerns is a provision that would effectively eliminate public funding for enrichment activities unless they’re taught directly by credentialed teachers who are employees of the charter school.

Considered by some as a controversial practice, nonclassroom-based charters may provide students’ families with funding to pay private vendors for educational or enrichment activities, which can include horseback riding, ice skating or private music lessons.

But under the bill, “there would be no vendors, because anyone working with a student would need to be a credentialed teacher and an employee of the school,” said Lourdes Ornelas, a teacher at Cabrillo Point Academy.

That means families could lose access to supplemental courses taught by outside providers, such as engineers, marine biologists or art instructors — people who, while experts in their fields, aren’t credentialed classroom teachers.

“Vendors are misunderstood in the non-charter school world,” Garland said. “They’re small businesses or entrepreneurs. The problem is that under the bill, anybody we work with needs to be credentialed.”

When asked, Garland acknowledged Cabrillo was previously part of a charter network that state auditors raised questions about, but said the school has since restructured. The school had also previously allowed parents to use instructional funds for educational field trips to Disneyland and other theme parks, a practice it has since ended, she said. Supporters of AB 84 have repeatedly pointed to the Disneyland tickets as evidence for why tighter regulations are needed.

“We’ve done away with allowing people to buy Disneyland tickets. That is not allowed,” she said.

Ornelas said critics often overlook student success stories. She pointed to one Cabrillo student who graduated with an associate’s degree and went on to complete his final two years at UC San Diego. “Our students all take standardized tests. They’re held to the same accountability,” she said. “They don’t emphasize the kids who go to UCSD, for example.”

Sen. Tony Strickland, R-Huntington Beach, said charter accountability shouldn’t come at the expense of fair treatment. “Whenever you have bad actors, you need to hold those people accountable,” he said, adding, “there’s a lot of bad actors in the K-12 public school education as well.”

Growing pains

Charter schools are public schools, independently operated, but publicly funded. They were established in California in 1992 to offer innovative models for families seeking alternatives to neighborhood schools. Of California’s approximately 1,300 charters, roughly 300 are nonclassroom-based, either virtual, hybrid or home-based programs.

In Orange County, charter enrollment has grown more than 16% in the past three years, even as overall K-12 enrollment has declined. According to the Orange County Department of Education, charters now make up 6% of all students in the county. There are currently 44 charter schools in the county, with two more opening this fall.

Charter schools receive state funding based on average daily attendance, just like traditional public schools, but they are funded at lower rates.

At the Orange County School of the Arts in Santa Ana, state funding totals about $35 million annually, according to Greg Endelman, the school’s chief operating officer. But the school raised an additional $9 million in parent donations the past school year to support its arts programming, which Endelman says is a luxury many charter schools do not have. The school currently has about 2,280 students, making for about $19,200 per student between those two funding sources. In 2023-24 school year, state education data had per student funding at about $25,300 for Santa Ana Unified.

OCSA could be impacted by AB 84’s push for charters to adopt school district-style accounting systems, a shift that Endelman says could cost OCSA hundreds of thousands of dollars in retraining staff and adjusting operations.

“They would be charging us more money, creating a lot more regulation, a lot more mandates with no additional funds,” Endelman said.

“We’re currently ranked the No. 6 best overall high school in the state of California, No. 1 charter high school in the state of California. We’re overseen by the county Department of Education. Our books are independently audited,” he added. “My honest opinion is they’re trying to kill competition and innovation and limit choice for families.”

Eric Premack, executive director of the Charter Schools Development Center and one of the original drafters of California’s 1992 charter law, called charter schools a political target. “There’s been an ongoing effort to rein in charter schools politically,” Premack said. “The chartering concept is very powerful, and it is very threatening to the established interests in the traditional public school system.”

Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris, D-Irvine, one of the handful of Democrats who voted against AB 84, cited the impact on her constituents. It passed the Assembly last month.

“I had more people reach out about this bill, come to my office, write letters, write emails, more constituents in opposition to this than any other bill this legislative session,” she said. “My concerns really are rooted in the fact that every additional dollar that is spent on administrative bureaucracy is a dollar taken out of the classroom.”

“Whether we’re talking about charter schools or any other industry, there are always a few bad actors,” she went on. “But we’ve got to ensure that the regulations we develop prohibit the bad actors, but don’t penalize good actors.”

Dr. Michael Kirst, the longest-serving president of the California State Board of Education and Gov. Jerry Brown’s education secretary, said charter schools, in most cases, “are much more accountable than public schools.”

“They have to have charters renewed every five years. And if they don’t improve test scores and performance, then they’re not renewed, and that’s a requirement,” he said. Still, Kirst believes the fraud cases have been egregious enough to warrant stronger oversight, he said. ‘”These scandals are so bad that my reaction to that is that the charters just may have to eat that.”

Back in Huntington Beach, Natalie Balisalisa said she’s trying to focus on the upcoming school year, but said she’s feeling anxious watching AB 84 move forward. The legislation passed out of the Senate Education Committee on July 16.

“Each year has been more beneficial, more advanced for her,” she said. “If we lose this flexibility, I just don’t know what we’ll do.”

Maternity ward closures in California result in much more than strained health care

LOS ANGELES — A few months ago, I worked my final night as an OB/GYN on labor and delivery at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital in the Los Angeles County city of Glendale. I wanted my team of doctors, nurses and other staff to get together one last time and connect before we shut down the unit.

There were no patients in the labor rooms, no newborns in the nursery, and the halls were silent. So different from the nights when we pulled together to help so many, and were proud every time we assisted a new mother going home with her baby. The ambulances had already been told to take pregnant patients elsewhere. Patients had been rescheduled at other hospitals.

In the quiet of the postpartum unit, some staff shared that they had been born here; others told stories of celebrating the births of friends and family members. Many talked about how meaningful it was to be able to show their children the cribs they had been warmed in after birth. It reminded me how, when I was a child, each time we drove past the hospital where I was born, I waved, believing the bricks remembered me, too.

Today, as hospitals and even more labor and delivery units close in California and across the country, many will not have those memories. Even more tragic is that pregnant patients in many areas of the state will have a much harder time having a safe birth.

Nearly 60 hospitals and labor and delivery units across California have closed since 2012; roughly 30% of those were in Los Angeles County. Typically, when we think about maternity care access issues, we think of rural areas, where geography compounds long-standing problems. Over half of rural counties across the U.S. are without access to obstetric care. But according to recent research, one-third of urban U.S. hospitals did not offer obstetric services in 2022.

California labor and delivery units are closing for several reasons. Across the country, reimbursement for obstetric services is not keeping pace with inflation, forcing hospital administrators to decide if they can provide services that cost more than the payment they receive. U.S. birth rates also are declining. And the high cost of housing, especially in places like California, is pushing people to start families farther away from cities.

California labor and delivery units are closing at a rate three times faster than in other parts of the country.

Fewer hospitals means longer wait times for pregnant patients — including at the emergency room, where they will be increasingly forced to go instead of labor and delivery units. Many emergency medical service providers, without specially trained staff, are ill-equipped to stabilize and treat pregnant patients.

During the winter months, when many patients present with COVID and flu symptoms, emergency room waits can sometimes last for hours. A pregnant woman might have complaints — a stomach ache or some discharge — that seem minor enough to put other patients ahead of her. But these may in fact indicate a condition like preterm labor or ruptured membranes that requires urgent action.

Legislators at the state and federal levels are working to address these problems. Last year, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (where I serve as chair) endorsed and the California Legislature passed AB 2490, the Reproductive Health Emergency Preparedness Program Act, to provide reproductive healthcare funding, training, and technical assistance for hospital emergency departments. But the governor vetoed the bill due to budgetary issues.

In February, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced the Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act. The legislation would provide, among other things, funding and resources to create obstetric emergency training programs for rural health care facilities that do not have dedicated labor and delivery units. Last fall, senators put forward the Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, to help rural and high-need urban hospitals deal with the high cost of operating a labor and delivery unit.

Meanwhile, labor and delivery units continue closing.

In the part of L.A. County USC Verdugo Hills Hospital has served, other hospitals provide maternity services. So our patients will not feel the worst effects of the loss of a labor and delivery unit. But the nurses have moved on, and many of the doctors have opened new offices elsewhere.

There remains a hole in this community, and memories lost. Unless we prioritize keeping labor and delivery units open, Californians will continue to sacrifice pieces of their past — and the ability to safely give birth close to home for years and years to come.

John McHugh is an obstetrician who has practiced for decades in Southern California. He is chair of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology for District IX, which includes California. This commentary was adapted from an essay produced for Zócalo Public Square.

Finley expected to see role increase this fall at Stephen F. Austin

Showing flashes of his talent last year when called upon, Joey Finley is expected to have an enhanced role this fall for the Stephen F. Austin University football team.

The 6-foot-3, 240-pound defensive end recorded a sack last year and finished with eight tackles, including four in one game. Finley was also credited with a quarterback hurry.

A three-sport standout at Palma, the former Monterey Peninsula College conference Defensive Player of the Year comes off the edge for Stephen F. Austin, a member of the Southland Conference.

During his one season at MPC, Finley evolved into one of the premier sack artists in the nation, finishing with 15 sacks.

Horoscopes July 26, 2025: Kate Beckinsale, consider donating your time

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Bianca Santos, 35; Kate Beckinsale, 52; Sandra Bullock, 61; Helen Mirren, 80.

Happy Birthday: Consider donating your time but not your money this year. The connections you make will help raise your profile and enhance your ability to climb the financial ladder. What you discover throughout your journey will keep you updated and in sync with how to invest in yourself. What you learn through experience, those you associate with and the skills you master will pay off. Your numbers are 2, 15, 21, 24, 31, 33, 47.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Pay attention to what you are trying to achieve. Refuse to let compliments cost you. Be realistic, have a plan and budget, and negotiate with precision. Combining discipline with intuition will give you the clout you require to dazzle anyone you want on your side. Love and social events will encourage romance. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Check your ego before you start a dialogue with someone looking for a fight. Sometimes it’s best to walk away from situations that are disruptive or likely to spin out of control. Refuse to let stubbornness put you in a precarious position. Know when to leave and cut your losses. 2 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Going on a short trip, attending a reunion or changing your routine will help you realign yourself and your thoughts in preparation for what you want to pursue. A physical challenge will take its toll if you aren’t careful. Pace yourself and avoid anyone trying to goad you into a reckless encounter. 4 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Recap your current situation and consider your options. Preparation will help you feel more comfortable dealing with institutions, authority figures and financial or medical issues that concern you. Address domestic problems and lifestyle changes promptly. Tone down the rhetoric before it has a chance to erupt. Take the high road and do what’s right. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Let your charm lead the way, and everything else will fall into place. Participating in community and networking events allows you to establish valuable connections. Don’t hesitate to share your thoughts and explore potential partnerships with like-minded individuals. Avoid situations that involve physical risks. Distance yourself from large crowds. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Consider the possibilities and choose the path that promotes the least friction and the most integrity, peace and love. There are no winners, only losers, when fights break out. Raise your standards and distance yourself from situations and people who lack respect for you or your lifestyle. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Stop procrastinating and start heading in a direction that puts a smile on your face, a skip in your step and love in your heart. Participate in events that interest you, and mingle with intriguing and entertaining people. Romance is in the stars, and reunions will bring new life to old connections. 4 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Rethink your day and how you want to allocate your time. Taking on responsibilities that don’t belong to you will lead to regret. Don’t let anyone take advantage of you. Donate your time or money to causes that concern you. A positive impact will give you the strength and courage to move forward. 2 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Give hope to those you encounter, and it will reverberate and restore your faith in others. A playful attitude will make those you encounter smile. Make lifestyle changes for the right reasons, and keep your emotions from interfering with time-sensitive decisions. Personal growth and romance will flourish. 5 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Emotional spending will be your downfall. Pay attention to hidden costs and those eager to have you foot their bill. Discipline will pay off in situations that require patience and acute timing. If you crave change, consider looking inward and working on personal growth and financial gain. Bide your time; everything is negotiable. 5 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Pay attention to detail. Last-minute legal, financial or medical changes will require more careful consideration. Protect against force plays by being well-versed in the ramifications that arise. Take pride in your appearance, and present yourself to those eager to exploit your weaknesses. Protect what matters most to you. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): A change may be your goal, but consider what it will take before you begin. Take another gander at your options and fine-tune your plan to meet the requirements. Let your intuition guide the way and your patience save you from those who try to take advantage of you. Avoid risks and confrontations. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are assertive, energetic and unique. You are imaginative and systematic.1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes.2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others.3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals.4 stars: Aim high; start new projects.5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

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